Chandipura Virus Outbreak

                                           


   CHANDIPURA VIRUS

Chandipura virus (CHPV) is a relatively rare but serious viral infection that primarily affects children. It's named after the village in Maharashtra, India, where it was first identified in 1965.






How it spreads

CHPV is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, though some mosquito species and ticks can also be carriers.


Symptoms

The onset of symptoms is often rapid and severe. Common symptoms include:



  • High fever
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Seizures
  • Altered mental state

In severe cases, the infection can lead to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), which can be fatal.

Risk Factors

Children are particularly susceptible to CHPV infection. Additionally, living in areas with a high population of sandflies increases the risk of exposure.

Prevention

Currently, there is no specific vaccine or antiviral treatment for CHPV. Prevention primarily focuses on controlling the vector population (sandflies) and protecting oneself from insect bites:

  • Use insect repellents
  • Wear long sleeves and pants in areas with high sandfly populations
  • Use mosquito nets

Recent Outbreaks

There have been sporadic outbreaks of CHPV in India, particularly affecting children. These outbreaks often occur during the monsoon season when sandfly populations tend to increase.


According to Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, the virus is suspected to have caused the death of six children in the past five days, while the number of cases has risen to 12 -- from Gujarat (9), Rajasthan (2) and Madhya Pradesh (1)


It's important to note that while CHPV is a serious concern, it's not as widespread as some other diseases. If you or someone you know experiences symptoms consistent with CHPV, it's crucial to seek medical attention immediately.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rethink and Eat

Image
             RETHINK AND EAT, IT'S YOUR BODY, DO NOT BE HARSH ON IT Hi there! Instead of writing about a specific illness today, I'm writing about the novel idea of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and my appreciation for the medical documentary "Hack your Health-Secrets of your gut," which I found on Netflix. I was intrigued by the thumbnail and decided to read the description, which promised to take me on a tour of the digestive system. Thus, based on my regular interactions with people at work and at home, I hear complaints about various health issues such as diarrhea, constipation, and upset stomachs. This is what we typically learn.  However, the approach known as "Fecal Microbiota Transplantation," which treats the issue using the feces of healthy people, has advanced beyond expectations and produced incredibly unexpected outcomes. In order to create this unique visual information, numerous physicians, pathologists, and diagnostic specialists fr
Read more

Tomato Flu

 As per the recurring pandemics, one more of that sort has appeared on the ground behaving as a variant of hand, foot and mouth disease which has been commonly affecting young children since many decades. In India, the case was first observed in Kerala in 2022, that has substantially created havoc amongst kids and parents. It has a viral origin in the family of Picornavirus(coxsackievirus). It affects the children of ages 1-5 years. It is highly contagious. Symptoms usually appear after 4-6 days of incubation which includes:- 1.Fever 2.Loss of appetite 3.Irritability 4. Sore throat 5. Vesicle formation 6. Rash on feet and buttocks. 6. Pain in joints 7. Drooling of saliva due to ulcers in mouth This disease is usually misdiagnosed as chicken pox or simple hand, foot and mouth disease. Blisters in mouth, palm and foot gave the inference and definitive diagnosis of Tomato flu. It is named as Tomato flu because blisters can grow as much as the size of a tomato. Fortunately, it is not a l
Read more

Associating Dental health with Cardiac health

Image
                                           SHOCKING BUT TRUE! A recent study carried out by an international team of experts from University of Maryland, University of Belgrade, University of Sharjah, Case Western Reserve University has certainly revealed and established a relationship between dental hygiene and heart attack. YES! Since we have always heard that heart attacks are sudden and death cannot be predicted for patients with cardiovascular conditions. But it has been evidently shown that our body does give us signs of the underlying disease. In this case, loss of teeth has been associated with heart conditions. Let’s discuss why early loss of teeth occurs:- Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease) Tooth Decay (Cavities) Oral Trauma Chronic Illnesses Genetic Predisposition These conditions leads to the loss of teeth but a infected tooth can become a medium to spread serious infections in our body, so after careful examination dentists tend to remove the pathogenic tooth but till then
Read more